Terror of the Vervoids

Terror of the Vervoids is the third serial of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord which encompasses the whole of the 23rd season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.

At the courtroom, the Doctor takes to the stand in his defence and uses the Matrix to show the Time Lords his tale of events of how he saved everyone on board the freighter, Hyperion III.

The Doctor and his new companion, Mel Bush, follow the message to the freighter, where they meet a trio of scientists: Professor Lasky and her colleagues Bruchner and Doland.

During their experiments involving cross-fertilisation, pollen penetrated a scratch in Ruth's thumb, causing the resulting plant maturing process to partially transform her human body.

Bruchner goes to the bridge and forces Travers and the pilot to leave, then changes the course of the Hyperion to head into the black hole of Tartarus, planning to destroy the ship, and kill the Vervoids.

The Doctor has an idea that vionesium, the rare metal taken from Mogar stored in the ship's vault, would accelerate the Vervoids' life-cycle towards its natural end.

Travers lowers the lighting and heating in the ship, forcing the Vervoids back to their lair, where the Doctor and Mel are waiting.

Terror of the Vervoids was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set in October 1993.